NOSOCOMIAL ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT ORGANISMS

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NOSOCOMIAL ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT ORGANISMS
MRSA Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus VRE Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
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MRSA

• Resistant to most antibiotics
• Found in health care facilities
• hospitals
• long term care facilities
• other care facilities
• Not a threat to healthy people

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Why should YOU be concerned about MRSA?

• Difficult to contain
• Easily spread
• Hard to treat

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Risk factors for MRSA infection

• Surgery
• Devices used in invasive procedures
• ICU or burn ward
• Age
• Treatment with multiple antibiotics
• Severe illness or disability
• Prolonged or repeated hospital stays
• Compromised immune system

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How is MRSA spread?

• Direct contact between health-care workers and
  clients.
• Colonized vs. infected persons
• Health-care workers are the MAIN carriers.
• NOT usually spread through the air

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How do I detect an infection of MRSA?

• Symptoms
• drainage from a wound
• Fever and chills
• increased white blood cell count

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Common sites of infection

• Respiratory tract
• Surgical wounds
• Perineum or rectum
• Skin

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How to stop the spread of MRSA

• Proper hand-washing
• Before caring for each client
• After removing gloves
• Before leaving the clients room

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VRE

• Hard to treat
• Some forms of VRE pass on their drug-resistant
  genes!

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Risk factors for VRE infection

• Severe illness
• Treatment with multiple antibiotics
• Abdominal or cardiac surgery
• Devices used in invasive procedures
• Age
• ICU
• Prolonged or repeated hospital stays

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How does a VRE infection develop?

• Opportunistic
• Bacteria transmitted between clients and
  healthcare workers
• colonized vs. infected persons

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Signs of VRE infection

• Drainage from a wound
• Fever and chills
• Increased white blood cell count

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Handwashing prevents spread of VRE

• Wash hands before patient care
• Wash hands after removing gloves
• Wash hands BEFORE leaving the patients room.

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MRSA AND VRE

• All healthcare workers play a role in preventing
  the spread of these nosocomial infections.
• REMEMBER-WASH YOUR HANDS